Weapons call prompts school security measures

High-level cooperation between law enforcement, the Rapid City Area School District, and the community ensured a safe resolution to weapons call which prompted security measures to be taken place at North Middle School, Knollwood Elementary, and General Beadle Elementary.

At around 9:40 a.m. on February 27th, police were dispatched to the 1500 block of Brentwood Street for a citizen report of a juvenile male pointing a handgun at a juvenile female. Given the incident’s proximity to these schools, the three educational facilities were placed on secure status as a precaution.

Working with the RCAS and with information from the citizen reporting party, police were able to quickly locate the juvenile suspect. Police determined the weapon in question was a pellet gun.

No ongoing concern for the safety of our schools exist as law enforcement works to resolve the situation.

“It’s clear there is a heightened awareness surrounding the safety of our students,” says RCPD Juvenile Operations supervisor Lt. Brian Blenner. “This is one more example of the community and organizational relationships that ensure a rapid law enforcement response to incidents that pose a threat to the safety of our schools. Our community should be proud of the policies and procedures in place for identifying potential threats, allowing us to intervene as fast as possible.”

* The charges are merely accusations and the arrested individual is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Any additional details regarding this case can be obtained from the Pennington County State’s Attorney and/or court records as appropriate.